Handle With Care
by dearboyangelus
Summary: Topolsky returns to Valenti after being sent back to Bethesda.


Title: Handle With Care Author: dearboyangelus Email: dearboyangelus@yahoo.com Spoilers: After 'Crazy' Rating: PG-15 (for some occasional swearing) Pairing: Topolsky/Valenti Genre: Romance/Drama/Angst Distribution: Please ask first, tell me where it's going. I usually say yes. Disclaimer: I don't own them, I merely borrowed them, and have returned them to their rightful owners Author's Note: I wrote this about two years ago. My first fic, I just never got around to posting it, now I have. Hope you like it.  
  
Sheriff Jim Valenti woke up with a start. Someone was in his room. "Who is it?" he asked. He saw the messy blonde hair, and tear-streaked face. "Kathleen?"  
  
Could this really be Kathleen Topolsky, returned from the dead? She nodded. "But I thought you died in the fire"  
  
Tears ran down her cheeks as she explained. "They caught me, and brought me back to Bethesda, Maryland. Pierce said I was going to pay for contacting Liz and Michael. They had me in restraints 24/7. Then the fire started. It was horrible, at that moment I knew I was going to die. Then someone, I don't know who, untied me and I started running. I made it out alright, but not after seeing the burned bodies. That fire was set to kill me, and innocent people-" she broke off, and took a deep breath "innocent people died"  
  
"It wasn't your fault," he told her. "It was Pierce, he killed those people, not you" He couldn't stand to see her so upset. He remembered when he had first met her, she was so calm, confident and in control. He was shocked at her sudden departure, and even more shocked when she returned to Roswell with a warning. Valenti wanted to help her, but she said that it was already too late. Then once again she was gone, gone for good. Or so he thought. He never quite forgave himself for letting her leave that night, and for believing Dr. Margolin's claims that she was crazy. He blamed himself for her death, but here she was, giving him a second chance.  
  
"They think I'm dead," Topolsky said, interrupting his thoughts "they won't be looking for me, but I have nowhere to stay, and I was hoping.that maybe you could.if it's not too much trouble." she didn't finish.  
  
Valenti realized that this was obviously difficult for her. "You can stay here if you want," he offered. She gave a weak smile "Thank you" she whispered.  
  
Valenti went into Kyle's room and got a T-shirt and sweatpants. He handed them to her. "Everything you need is in the bathroom, why don't you go get cleaned up?"  
  
She headed for the bathroom, and once again Valenti was left with his thoughts. Why didn't I tell her I loved her, when I had the chance? Sure, he may have only had a few personal encounters with her, but during his research, the more he knew about FBI Agent Kathleen Topolsky, the more he fell in love with her. Now she was in his house, and his son Kyle was at sports camp.the possibilities were endless, but sex was the last thing on his mind. He respected Kathleen, and wanted her to trust him. Like that's ever possible he berated himself. He learned from her records that she didn't trust anyone, and with good reason too. But he didn't want to think about that right now. His thoughts drifted toward he hair, her beautiful, silky blonde hair, always perfect. It wasn't perfect now, nor was it perfect the last time she visited, and how he had longed to brush it.  
  
Topolsky came out of the bathroom, nice and clean, looking slightly awkward in Kyle's clothes. Her hair was nicely combed and fell about her shoulders in loose waves. Her face was free from any makeup, giving her an innocent appearance. My God, she is beautiful.  
  
Topolsky was aware that Valenti was staring at her. She hoped that he wasn't going to.fear clutched at her heart and suddenly all that had happened to her in her past came rushing to her mind. The room started to spin, and she fell. The last thing she remembered was expecting impact, then a soft landing. Valenti scooped Topolsky up in his arms, and carried her to the bedroom. He was surprised at how light she was. He lay her down on the bed and let her sleep. He would sleep on the couch that night. He didn't mind, as long as Kathleen is comfortable. He lay down on the couch and was sleeping for a while when a noise from the bedroom awoke him.  
  
Topolsky tossed and turned and cried out in her sleep. "No.please, I don't know anything.leave me alone!"  
  
The Sheriff came up, and tried to wake her from her nightmare. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Wake up, hon, wake up"  
  
She woke up and looked at the Sheriff who still had his hands on her shoulders. Thinking that he too was going to attack her, she started screaming and kicking.  
  
"Get the fuck away from me!" she yelled as she tried clawing at his face. He grabbed her by the wrists and pinned her arms down beside her. She was still hysterical, cursing and trying to kick at him, so he straddled himself above her stomach, taking care not to squash her.  
  
"Shh, shh. I'm not going to hurt you," he said trying to calm her down. She didn't believe him and continued to struggle.  
  
He tightened his grip on her Listen, if I had that on my mind, I would have done it already" she stopped fighting and stared at him with tear-filled eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm soo sorry, it's just that." she began to cry. He let go of her, praying that she wouldn't attack him again. She sat on the edge of the bed, with her head in her hands. Valenti handed her a tissue, she wiped her eyes, but continued to cry. He took her in his arms and held her. She pressed her face against his shoulder, and he rocked her for a few minutes, soothing her. Finally, her sobs subsided.  
  
"What's really wrong, Kathleen?" he asked  
  
"All my life I have people have taken advantage of me, hurt me. All my life I have been looking for someone I can trust, but I can't Jim, I just can't! If I let people in, it will just happen all over again"  
  
"Why don't you tell me about it, help me understand you a little better" He realized that he was still holding her, so he let her go. To his surprise she gave a little cry, lay her head down in his lap, and looked up at him.  
  
"Please?" she asked. He cradled her head in one hand and held her hand with his free one, rubbing his thumb against her palm in a reassuring manner. She began to tell her story.  
  
She told him all about her past. Her stolen childhood, the years of abuse, the loneliness, how she slept her way into the FBI, coming to Roswell, having no one to talk to then either, the kidnapping and suffering at the hands of Agent Pierce. All she wanted was a job where she could help people, but the Alien Unit had ruined that.  
  
Valenti listened intently, stroking her hair as he did. It made his heart ache to listen to everything she had endured. She stopped speaking, wondering if the Sheriff really wanted to hear all this, wondering if she had said too much. He felt compelled to ask her to continue, and so she did. He squeezed her hand. She looked at him and said, "I want to, I want to but I can't"  
  
"Want to what? Tell me what you want, Kathleen, and I will give it to you."  
  
"I want to trust you, Jim" she choked out.  
  
"You can, hon, I'm always here for you. I love you Kathleen. I've wanted to tell you that for so long. I thought I'd lost you, but now that I have you, I don't want to let you go. I love you so much it hurts." She looked at him, and something told her that he spoke the truth.  
  
She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear "I've finally found what I have spent my entire life searching for"  
  
He smiled. This was what he wanted, for her to trust him. "I love you too, Jim Valenti" They wrapped their arms around each other and lay down on the bed. Kathleen fell asleep instantly. The Sheriff remained awake, listening to her steady even breaths. He stroked the side of her face.  
  
They had both finally got what they had wanted 


End file.
